We will soon offer Irlen Screening for adults and Children with a
Qualified Irlen Assessor
Available soon!
What is Irlen Syndrome?
Irlen Syndrome is a light-based visual processing problem. Specifically, it is a cluster of symptoms caused when the brain struggles to process light and visual stimuli efficiently. Irlen Syndrome is not a reading problem, is not dyslexia, is not an issue with sight or vision, even though it can affect what some people see and can make reading and other visual activities more difficult. Irlen Syndrome is an information and sensory processing problem.
When someone has Irlen Syndrome, their brain overreacts to light and visual stimuli. This over-activity and inability to effectively process visual stimuli creates a variety of visual, physical, cognitive, emotional, and neurological symptoms. Light sensitivity is very common with Irlen Syndrome. Irlen Syndrome is hereditary and tends to run in families, affecting males and females equally. However, an individual can also acquire symptoms of Irlen Syndrome as a result of illness, medical procedures, or traumatic brain injury (or concussion).
This problem can manifest itself differently for each individual. This problem is not remediable and is often a lifetime barrier to learning and performance. If you suffer from any of the following, Irlen Syndrome might be your problem:
- Print looks different
- Environment looks different
- Slow or inefficient reading
- Poor comprehension
- Eye strain
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Difficulty with math computation
- Difficulty copying
- Difficulty reading music
- Poor sports performance
- Poor depth-perception
- Low motivation
- Low self-esteem
Symptoms of Irlen Syndrome
Light Sensitivity:
- Bothered by glare, fluorescent lights, bright lights, sunlight and sometimes lights at night
- Some individuals experience physical symptoms and feel tired, sleepy, dizzy, anxious, or irritable. Others experience headaches, mood changes, restlessness or have difficulty staying focused, especially with bright or fluorescent lights.
Reading Problems:
- Poor comprehension
- Misreads words
- Problems tracking from line to line
- Reads in dim light
- Skips words or lines
- Reads slowly or hesitantly
- Takes breaks
- Loses place
- Avoids reading
Discomfort:
- Strain and fatigue
- Tired or sleepy
- Headaches or nausea
- Fidgety or restless
- Eyes that hurt or become watery
Attention and Concentration Problems:
- Problems with concentration when reading and doing academic tasks
- Often people can appear to have other conditions, such as attention deficit disorder, and are given medication unnecessarily.
Writing Problems:
- Trouble copying
- Unequal spacing
- Unequal letter size
- Writing up or downhill
- Inconsistent spelling
Other Characteristics:
- Strain or fatigue from computer use
- Difficulty reading music
- Sloppy, careless math errors
- Misaligned numbers in columns
- Ineffective use of study time
- Lack of motivation
- Grades do not reflect the amount of effort
Depth Perception:
- Clumsiness
- Difficulty catching balls
- Difficulty judging distances
- Additional caution necessary while driving
Distortions:
- Words on the page lack clarity or stability; i.e., may appear to be blurry, moving, or disappear
How can we help?
Our qualified Irlen assessor will organise a meeting to assess for Irlen Syndrome at our premises in Maisemore, Gloucester.
Our assessment includes:
- A comprehensive screener to screen for Irlen Syndrome
- A overlay assessment to explore the appropriate overlay to support text reading
- A chosen overlay to take away after the assessment
- A professional report, which can be given to schools and workplaces.
